Apparatus for cutting rolls of adhesive coated tape



June 13, 1967 T. A. TAVERNA APPARATUS FOR CUTTING ROLLS OF ADHESIVECOATED TAPE Original Filed May 12, 1964 @TL k M a Nc INVENTOR. 72/0/14454. 7210mm BY A 7'70R/VEY United States Patent 3,324,750 APPARATUS FORCUTTING ROLLS 0F ADHESIVE COATED TAPE Thomas A. Taverna, YorktownHeights, N.Y., assignor to Technical Tape Corp., New Rochelle, N.Y., acorporation of New York Original application May 12, 1964, Ser. No.366,851. Divided and this application July 8, 1966, Ser. No. 571,372

16 Claims. (Cl. 8270.1)

This application is a division of my copending application Ser. No.366,851, filed May 12, 1964, for Method and Apparatus for Cutting Rolls.This is an application without signature under the provisions of Rule147.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for cutting rolls. Moreparticularly, the invention relates to apparatus for slitting wide rollsof pressure-sensitive tape into consumer sizes.

Heretofore, it has been conventional to slit tape by unrolling the tapefrom a wide roll thereof, cutting the unreeled web of tape into thedesired widths by means of suitable cutting tools, and then rewindingthe cut strips of tape to form rolls of the desired commercial widths.

The prior practice of tape cutting had certain inherent disadvantages,which, theoretically, might be eliminated by avoidance of the unreelingand rereeling steps of the cutting operation, viz cutting the masterroll itself. All efforts in this latter direction have failed, however,because of gumming of the cutting knife, the generation of heatresulting from friction between the knife and the tape during thecutting operation, and variations in the width of the slit rolls due todeflection of the cutting tool upon contact with the roll. One of themost serious results of these prior attempts has been the adhesion ofadjacent turns of tape in the cut rolls.

This invention is based on the discovery that the foregoingdisadvantages of the prior practice can be overcome by resort to arotating cutting knife for cutting the master roll while the master rollis also rotated throughout the cutting operation. Important additionaladvantages are obtained if the relative rotational speed of the cuttingknife and the roll are maintained at a slight differential at all phasesof the cutting operation.

It is, therefore, an important object of the invention to provide amethod for directly cutting a master roll of pressuresenstiive tape intorolls of consumer widths, whereby master roll unwinding and cut tapestrip rewinding are eliminated.

It is a further object of the invention to provide simple. yet effectivemechanism for bringing a rotary cutting knife and a rotating tape rollinto contact with each other in a substantially continuous andsubstantially automatic manner.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a mechanism bywhich the relative rotation of a rotary cutting knife and the rotationof a rotating tape roll are maintained at a differential at all phasesof the roll cutting operation.

These objectives, together with other objectives and advantages, will beapparent from a reading of the following detailed description which isilluminated by the accompanying drawing in which like reference numeralsindicate like parts, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of tape roll cutting mechanismsuitable for the performance of the tape roll cutting method herein andin which certain features of the invention are embodied; and

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view, taken generally on line 22 of FIG. 1.

The tape roll cutting method herein comprises the steps ofdifferentially rotating a cutting instrument and a roll ice ofpressure-sensitive tape while bringing the cutting implement and thetape roll into contact with each other, and maintaining a differentialin the relative speed of tape reel and cutting implement rotation whilecompleting the cutting operation.

In its more limited aspects, the method is conveniently performed byrotating a cutting implement at a fixed rate, rotating a roll ofpressure-sensitive tape at a differential rate, bringing the rotatingcutting implement and the differentially rotated tape roll into contactwith each other to initiate the cutting operation, and increasing therotational rate of the tape roll as the roll cutting operation proceedsin order to maintain a rotational differential between the rotatingcutting implement and the rotating tape roll throughout the cuttingoperation.

The cutting operation is facilitated if a suitable lubricant is appliedto the cutting knife while the cutting operation is being performed. Asuitable lubricant for this purpose is a cooked water solution of starchcontaining a small amount of antibacterial material, e.g., .02formaldehyde.

The mechanism for performing the disclosed roll cutting method in asubstantially continuous and substantially automatic manner, may takethe form illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawing wherein a core reelassembly 10 is associated with a cutter assembly 12. The core reelassembly 10 is adapted to hold and rotate a plurality of tape rolls ontheir axis while they are being carried into contact with a rotary knifemounted on the cutter assembly.

The core reel assembly 10 has a pair of reel plates 14 and 16 which maycomprise a pair of disks or a pair of plate-like arms as shown in FIG.2. The reel plates 14 and 16 are fixed to a shaft 18 which is mountedfor rotation in a pair of pillow blocks 20 and 22. One end of the shaft18 extends beyond the pillow block 20 and has fixed thereto a gear 24which meshes with a spur gear 26. A motor 28 operating through a speedreducer 30 drives the spur gear 26 with the result that the shaft 18 andthe reel plates 14 and 16 thereon are rotated.

A plurality of rotatable shafts 32 and 34 are mounted in the reel plates14 and 16. The shaft 32 is mounted for rotation in bearings 36 and 38carried respectively by the reel plates 14 and 16. The shaft 34 ismounted for rotation in bearings 49 and 42 carried respectively by thereel plates 14 and 16.

The ends of the shafts 32 and 34 extend beyond the reel plates 14 and16. Each shaft has fixed to that end thereof which extends beyond thereel plate 16 an expansible core holder of conventional design. Fixed tothe end of the shafts extending beyond the reel plate 14 are expansiblevariable speed pulleys of conventional design, as for example, theproduct of Boston Gear Company identified as Catalog No. VPG-7.

Specifically, the shaft 32 has afiixed thereto an expansible core holder44 and an expansible variable speed pulley 46, while the shaft 34 hasafiixed thereto an expansible core holder 48 and an expansible variablespeed pulley 50. The expansible core holders 44 and 48 are normallyexpanded into roll core holding position but they are automaticallycontractible into a roll loading position. The expansible core holder 44has associated therewith an actuating rod 52, while the expansible coreholder 48 has a similar rod 54 associated therewith. When the rods 52and 54 are moved to the right as viewed in FIG. 1, they will contracttheir respective expansible core holders such that tape rolls may beeasily discharged and loaded. The mechanism herein provides a cam plate56 which has a cam 58 fixed thereto at the core loading position of thecore reel assembly. Thus when either of the actuating rods 52 or 54 moveinto contact with the '3 cam 58, the respective expansible core holders54 and 58 are contracted.

The expansible variable speed pulleys 46 and 50 are comprised of a disk60 which is fixed to its shaft, and a disk 62 which is mounted forlimited axial movement on its shaft. The disk 62 is spring-biased towardthe disk 60'. The confronting faces of the disks 60 and 62 are bevelledsuch that they form a V-pulley.

The expansible variable speed pulleys 46 and 50 are arranged for drivingcontact with a leather drive disk 64 as the shaft 18 of the reelassembly rotates. The peripheral edge of the drive disk 64 is bevelledto accommodate it to the V-form of the expansible variable speed pulleys46 and 50. The drive disk 64 is fixed to one end of a shaft 66 which ismounted for rotation in a pair of pillow blocks 68 and 70. Fixed to theshaft 66 is a drive pulley 72. The drivepulley 72 is rotated by a pulley74 by way of a V-belt 76 which interconnects the pulleys 72 and 74. Thepulley 74 is driven by a motor 78.

It is evident from the foregoing that as the core reel assembly shaft 18is rotated, it will successively carry the expansible variable speedpulleys 46 and 50 into driving contact with the drive disk 64 such thatthe shafts 32 and 34 are successively rotated. It should be alsoparticularly noted that the initial contact between the expansiblevariable speed pulleys 46 and 50 and the drive disk 64 is substantiallyperipheral such that the associated expansible variable speed pulleyshafts are rotated at a predetermiried minimum speed. However, as thecore reel assembly carries the axes of the variable speed pulleys closerto the axes of the drive disk 64, the variable speed pulleys will beexpanded such that driving contact between the pulleys and the drivedisk 64 is established closer to the axes of the pulleys with the resultthat their respective shafts are rotated at a higher speed.

The core reel assembly 10 is so arranged in respect to the cutterassembly 12 that the expansible core holders 44 and 48 pass in proximityto a rotary knife 80. The rotary knife 80 is carried by a shaft 82mounted in a pair of pillow blocks 84 and 86 fixed to the face of amotor table 88. The shaft 82 and consequently the rotary knife 80 are indriving connection with a motor 90 which is also mounted on the face ofthe motor table 88. The motor shaft has fixed thereto a drive pulley 92which is connected by means of a V-belt 94 with a pulley 96 fixed to theknife shaft 82.

The motor table 88 is mounted for lateral movement on a stationary bedplate 98. Guide elements (not shown) extending from the bottom of themotor table 88 are adapted to engage in a pair of parallel guide slots100 and 102 formed in the bed plate 98. Thus, the motor table 88 may belaterally shifted to adjust the position of the knife 80 along the axesof tape rolls carried by the expansible core holders 44 and 48, therebydetermining the width of a roll of tape to be cut from the master roll.Obviously, if the master roll is to be cut more than once, the motortable 88 will be shifted to the left, as viewed in FIG. 1, prior to eachcutting operation.

A suitable arrangement for adjusting the motor table 88 is shown in FIG.1, wherein a lead screw 104 is mounted for rotation in a pair of leadscrew journals 106 and 108 extending upwardly at opposite edges of thebed plate 98. Fixed to the bottom of the motor table 88 are a pair ofaligned, threaded, lead screw followers 110 and 112. The lead screwfollowers 110 and 112 engage the lead screw 104 such that when the leadscrew 104 is rotated the motor table 88 will be moved to the right orthe left, as shown in FIG. 1, depending on the direction in which thelead screw is rotated.

The lead screw may be rotated through manual operation of a hand wheel114 fixed to a control shaft 116 which is mounted for rotation in pillowblocks 118 and 120 fixed to the fact of the bed plate 98. A bevelledgear 122 at the distal end of the control shaft 116 is in engagementwith a bevelled gear 124 fixed to the lead screw 104.

In one practical embodiment of the mechanism herein, a 75-tooth gear 24was driven from a 22-tooth spur gear 26, the latter being mounted on thespeed reducer output shaft which was rotated at 8.8 r.p.m. A 1730 rpm.motor 78 driving a 2 /2" pulley 74, imparted drive to a 9" pulley 72 androtated a 10" drive disk 64. A 9" knife was driven by a 30 rpm. motor byway of a 3 /2 pulley 92 and an 8" pulley 96. From this example it can beseen that the core reel assembly 10 is rotated at a relatively slowspeed and that the expansible core holders 44 and 48 are driven at arelatively high speed which increases as the axes of the expansiblevariable speed pulleys 46 and 50 approach the axis of the drive disk 64.The substance of this is that the relative speed of the cutting knife 80and the roll of tape is maintained at a slight differential at allphases of the cutting operation.

In operation the motors 28, 78 and 90 are energized to start themechanism into motion. As the actuating rod 54 of the expansible coreholder 48 comes into contact with the cam 58, the expansible core holder48 will be contracted to permit an operator to load a roll of tapethereon. As soon as the actuating rod 54 is out of contact with the cam58, the expansible core holder 48 will expand automatically to grip thetape roll.

Since the core reel assembly 10 rotates rather slowly, the operator maynow manipulate the hand wheel 114 to adjust the position of the knife 80in respect to the tape roll on the expansible core holder 48.

As the expansible variable speed pulley 50 is carried into contact withthe drive disk 64, which in point of time is before contact of the knife80 with the tape roll,

the tape roll will be rotated and will continue to rotate differentiallyas the core reel assembly carries the tape roll through the cuttingzone. As the tape roll on the expansible core holder 48 is being cut,the actuating rod 52 of the expansible core holder 44 will be rotatedinto contact with the cam 58 such that the expansible core holder 44 iscontracted. When this condition is achieved, the operator will load atape roll onto the expansible core holder 44, which, in turn, will berotated through the cutting zone by the core reel assembly. If aplurality of cuts are to be made along the length of the loaded taperolls, the operator will make an appropriate adjustment of the knife 80by manipulating the hand wheel 114 be tween each pair of cuttingoperations.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that a very simple, effective andsubstantially automatic mechanism has been provided for cutting taperolls according to the abovedescribed method. In this apparatus, therehas been shown a core reel assembly having a pair of expansible coreholders. This should not be regarded as a limitation but merely by wayof illustration since it is obvious that any desirable number of coreholders can be mounted in the core reel assembly.

What is claimed is:

1. Mechanism for cutting tape rolls comprising a tape roll transportassembly, means for rotatably mounting a tape roll on said assembly, acutter assembly operatively associated with said transport assembly, atape roll cutting knife mounted on said cutting assembly, means forrotating said tape roll mounting means, and means for moving a tape rollon said tape roll mounting means and said tape roll cutting knife intocutting engagement with each other.

2. The mechanism of claim 1, in which a plurality of rotatably tape reelmounting means are on said assembly.

3. The mechanism of claim 1, in which said cutting knife is rotatableand has means connected thereto for rotating the same.

4. The mechanism of claim 1 providing means for successively moving taperolls on said tape roll mounting means into cutting engagement with saidknife.

5. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the means 'for rotatably mounting atape roll comprises an expansible device adapted to engage the core of atape roll.

6. The mechanism of claim 1, in which the tape roll transport assemblycomprises a rotatably mounted core reel in combination with means forrotating said reel to carry a tape roll thereon into contact with saidcutting knife.

7. Mechanism for cutting tape rolls, comprising a rotatably mounted corereel, means connected to said reel for rotating the same, tape rollholding means including a shaft rotatably mounted in said reel andhaving a tape roll holder at one end thereof, means for differentiallyrotating said shaft during rotation of said core reel, and a tape reelcutting knife mounted in the path of a tape roll on said tape rollholder as said core reel is rotated.

8. The mechanism of claim 7, in which said tape reel cutting knife isrotatably mounted and has connected thereto means for rotating the same.

9. The mechanism of claim 7, in which a plurality of spaced tape rollholding means is mounted in said reel.

10. The mechanism of claim 7, in which said means for differentiallyrotating said shaft comprises an expansible variable speed pulley fixedto the end of said shaft remote from said roll holder, and a rotatingdrive disk fixed in the path of said pulley whereby said pulley iscarried into driving contact with said drive disk by rotation of saidreel.

11. The mechanism of claim 7, in which said tape roll holder comprisesexpansible mechanism adapted to engage a tape roll.

12. The mechanism of claim 7, in which said tape roll holder comprisesan expansible and contractible mechanism which is normally expanded intotape roll holding position, in combination with contracting meansadapted to contract said core holder into tape receiving position.

13. The mechanism of claim 12, in which a cam device is located in thepath of said contracting means as said core reel is rotated, wherebysaid contracting means contracts said tape roll holder into tape rollreceiving position.

14. The mechanism of claim 13, in which said cam device is locatedremote from said tape roll cutting knife.

15. The mechanism of claim 1, in which said tape roll cutting knife ismounted for selective lateral movement.

16. The mechanism of claim 17, in which said cutting knife is mountedfor selective lateral movement.

No references cited.

WILLIAM W. DYER, JR., Primary Examiner.

HARRISON L. HINSON, Examiner.

1. MECHANISM FOR CUTTING TAPE ROLLS COMPRISING A TAPE ROLL TRANSPORTASSEMBLY, MEANS FOR ROTATABLY MOUNTED A TAPE ROLL ON SAID ASSEMBLY, ACUTTER ASSEMBLY OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID TRANSPORT ASSEMBLY, ATAPE ROLL CUTTING KNIFE MOUNTED ON SAID CUTTING ASSEMBLY, MEANS FORROTATING SAID TAPE ROLL MOUNTING MEANS, AND MEANS FOR MOVING A TAPE ROLLON SAID TAPE ROLL MOUNTING MEANS AND SAID TAPE ROLL CUTTING KNIFE INTOCUTTING ENGAGEMENT WITH EACH OTHER.